Think of your licence as a folder that contains privileges and ratings. Together with a valid medical these represent your flying validity. And this has to be current in order for you to be able to fly legally.

EASA licences

EASA licences are lifetime licences but to be able to fly legally you need to have a suitable valid medical and ensure that your ratings or personal validity remain current.

Some ratings, Single Engine Piston (SEP) for example, have expiry dates. Others, like a Night rating, do not. Your ratings may need revalidating to keep them current. If they have expired you will have to renew them.

If you have a LAPL, your personal validity is self-assessed, but if it has lapsed it will need to be re-established through a test or flying under the supervision of an approved training organisation (ATO).

Your licence, ratings, certificates or privileges do not automatically allow you to fly with passengers. If you want to fly with passengers then you must have completed three take-offs and three landings as the pilot in the 90 days prior to your planned flight.

Use the menu on the left to navigate to more information on common licence types, including those not issued as EASA licences.